Topic: Bill Jackson CD

[Johnm]

Hi all,
A couple of weeks ago when I was in Bellingham, WA, I found a CD in a used record store called "Long Steel Rail--Music by Maryland songster Bill Jackson" on Testament.  It was recorded by Pete Welding, who also recorded Blind Connie Williams in Philadelphia in the early 1960s.  This music was similarly recorded in Philly around the same time, in 1962, and Bill Jackson, despite the CD's title, was living there, and had been there for some time, evidently.  
The music is a program of East Coast Blues, in which Jackson accompanies himself on a twelve-string, and I've found that it has really grown on me since I purchased it.  Bill Jackson was not a flashy guitarist but he had a lot of nifty touches to what he did, and a nice gentle vocal style.  The title track is an eight bar blues unlike any eight bar blues I have ever heard.  I don't imagine it will be an easy CD to find, but I think it is a real sleeper.  I have been enjoying it.
All best,
John  

[waxwing]

Sounds very interesting, John. Especially since I'm hoping to get my 12 back from the luthier in the not too distant future. I'm curious, does it sound like Bill Jackson is tuned down to C or B, ala Blind Willie McTell or Leadbelly? I don't think I've ever heard you on a twelve. Any chance you might do a lesson on Long Steel Rail? You could post it as an mp3 for study purposes, maybe?
I just remembered, in my youth, I used to play a "Steel Rail Blues", I heard played by Gordon Lightfoot, which I think was an 8 bar blues but with an 8 bar hummed(oooooed, really) refrain now and then. I had trouble working it out just now, memory's shot to hell, but it was in C. I doubt there's any connection.
All for now.
John C.

[Johnm]

Hi John C,
I just checked "Long Steel Rail" for tuning, and for a tune that is played in A position, standard tuning, Bill Jackson was sounding in G, so he was only tuned about one whole step low, not a major third or a fourth like Leadbelly or the older Willie McTell.  I am not really equipped to post an mp3, but I will make a note to bring it to Camp next summer, or post it here before that via other means if I get the opportunity.
All best,
John

[uncle bud]

Hi JohnM - an old topic, but I recently acquired this CD by Bill Jackson. Throughout the CD there seem to be annoying possibly digital, possibly analog pops, as if the CD issue is a dub of an LP with some defects to it. I wanted to check if your copy has this as well, or whether I got a defective CD. Some examples of these are in "Trouble in Mind" at the 0:19 mark, or in Titanic Blues at the 1:41. (There are lots throughout the record, these are just two where I noted the time.)

[doctorpep]

I just ordered the disc for two cents on Amazon.com (yes, two cents!). When I previewed the songs on Amazon, I believe that I heard pops, so it may not just be your cd!

[Rivers]

My copy is OK, and I really enjoy listening to it.

[doctorpep]

Thank you, Rivers. Considering how it's selling for just two cents, I don't think I'll be disappointed. (I wonder if there are similarly priced Blues discs on Amazon.) It's a shame that there's no biography for Bill Jackson on Allmusic, but there is a 4 out of 5 star review for his cd up on the site.

[Parlor Picker]

This CD came my way years ago when it first came out. I was sent it by a magazine (can no longer remember which one) for a review.  The review is long since disappeared, but I remember commenting on the annoying clicks.  They don't sound like clicks that have been transferred from a vinyl LP, but are rather more electronic in nature.  Nice music, though.

[uncle bud]

Thanks for the info, guys. So at least PP has had the same experience. Rivers, I'm attaching "Trouble in Mind", where you can clearly hear the pop/clicks I'm talking about starting at 0:19. Is it possible for you to compare with your copy?

(edited to say it always helps when one attaches the file...sorry)

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Rivers]

I will do so at the earliest opportunity. Maybe I just wasn't listening hard enough.

[Bunker Hill]

This may be of interest http://www.bluesworld.com/PWI.html Frightening to think that Pete died within a year of this interview taking place.

In 1972 Pete wrote "The Testament Story" for Blues World. It was run over two issues and contained lots of anecdotes and tales about artists/recording sessions. I'll look them out and see what further may be added to what he said in Jackson LP notes.

LATER EDIT: Silly me a click away from the above link was this of a more recent vintage than the magazine story http://www.bluesworld.com/PWTestessay.html

[jostber]

This may be of interest http://www.bluesworld.com/PWI.html Frightening to think that Pete died within a year of this interview taking place.

In 1972 Pete wrote "The Testament Story" for Blues World. It was run over two issues and contained lots of anecdotes and tales about artists/recording sessions. I'll look them out and see what further may be added to what he said in Jackson LP notes.

LATER EDIT: Silly me a click away from the above link was this of a more recent vintage than the magazine story http://www.bluesworld.com/PWTestessay.html

Great links and fine reading, thanks! Pete Welding was always a great writer on the blues.

[Rivers]

I listened again, the pops are on my copy. Sounds like a transfer from vinyl to me. I wasn't listening hard enough obviously.

[uncle bud]

Thanks Rivers, I will learn to live with it then. God knows we're all used to scratchy old records, but this somehow bothers me more when listening. I think it's because the imperfections sometimes sound more digital than analog.